How to Get a Federal Background Check Online or by Mail

To get a federal background check on yourself, request an FBI Identity History Summary Check. The report costs $18 and can be submitted three ways: by mail to the FBI’s CJIS Division in Clarksburg, West Virginia; electronically through the FBI’s online portal; or through a private FBI-approved channeler that forwards your fingerprints for you. Which route makes sense depends on how quickly you need the results and how much you want to spend.

What the FBI Identity History Summary Is

The Identity History Summary, sometimes called a “rap sheet,” is compiled from fingerprint submissions the FBI has received over the years. If your fingerprints were ever sent to the FBI in connection with an arrest, federal employment, naturalization, or military service, that information appears on the report.¹ Each arrest entry shows the submitting agency, the arrest date, the charge, and the disposition if one was reported.²

People typically request this report for personal review, immigration cases, international adoption, or as a “certificate of good conduct” for foreign employers, visas, or school enrollment abroad.³ The Identity History Summary is not the same as a federal employment background investigation or a security clearance check. Those are initiated by the hiring agency, not by you, and go much deeper. If a licensing board, government agency, or foreign consulate is asking for a check, confirm with them which type they need before you submit anything, since some checks must go through specific state or federal channeling agencies rather than a personal request.⁴

The FBI does not stamp expiration dates on results, but the entity asking for the report does. USCIS, for example, treats FBI fingerprint results as valid for 15 months from the date they were processed.⁵ Foreign governments and adoption agencies each set their own timelines, so ask before assuming an older report will still be accepted.

What You Need Before You Apply

Three items go into every request: fingerprints on a standard FD-258 card, the FBI’s Applicant Information Form, and the $18 processing fee.

Fingerprints on an FD-258 Card

Your prints must be recorded on a standard FD-258 fingerprint card.⁶ You can print the card from the FBI’s website, but most people find it easier to visit a place that already has the cards on hand. Local police departments, sheriff’s offices, and private fingerprinting businesses all provide this service, usually for $15 to $40.

The card takes both rolled impressions (each finger rolled individually) and flat impressions (four fingers pressed at once). You fill in personal details including full name, date of birth, place of birth, citizenship, height, weight, and eye color. Including your Social Security Number is optional; if you provide it, the last four digits will appear on your results.¹ Don’t sign the card until the person taking your prints tells you to.

Applicant Information Form and Payment

The FBI Applicant Information Form (Form 1-783) is available on the FBI’s Identity History Summary Checks page and asks for your name, contact information, and signature.²

The processing fee is $18.¹ Payment can be made by credit card using the FBI’s Credit Card Payment Form, or by money order or certified check made payable to “Treasury of the United States.” Personal checks, business checks, and cash are not accepted.

The Three Ways to Submit Your Request

By Mail

Send the completed Applicant Information Form, fingerprint card, and payment to:⁷

FBI CJIS Division – Summary Request
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306

Requests are processed in the order they arrive, and a missing payment or unsigned form will delay yours. Mail is the slowest option, so if you’re working against a deadline, the electronic route or a channeler will serve you better.

Electronically Through the FBI

The FBI’s online portal lets you fill out the application and pay the fee digitally. For fingerprints, you can either visit a participating U.S. Post Office to have them captured electronically (which may involve an additional fee), or mail in a completed FD-258 card separately.¹ Electronic submissions generally process faster than paper, and you can receive results electronically with the option of also getting a mailed copy.

Through an FBI-Approved Channeler

Channelers are private companies authorized by the FBI to collect your fingerprints, forward them electronically to the CJIS Division, and return results to you.⁸ This is the fastest option. Most channelers return results within 24 to 72 hours, and many handle the fingerprinting in-house so you don’t need to visit a separate location.

The trade-off is cost. Channelers charge a service fee of roughly $40 to $60 on top of the FBI’s $18 processing fee. For an overseas move or an adoption deadline, the extra expense is usually worth it. The FBI maintains a current list of approved channelers on its website.

Reading Your Results

Your Identity History Summary arrives by U.S. First-Class Mail. Electronic submissions also generate an electronic copy, with a mailed version available on request.¹ The report is printed on plain white paper without the FBI seal. Authentication comes from a watermark and the signature of a division official at the time the report is generated.

The report will either state that no criminal history was found or list a summary of records tied to your fingerprints, which may include arrest records, federal employment history, naturalization records, and military service. Each arrest entry shows the submitting agency, the date, the charge, and the disposition if one was reported.

A missing disposition is common. Arresting agencies are supposed to report case outcomes, but many don’t. If an arrest shows no outcome, that doesn’t mean your case is still open. It usually means the court or arresting agency never sent the final result to the FBI. Among the outcomes that do appear, “nolle prosequi” (often “nol pros”) means the prosecution chose not to pursue the case; a dismissal with prejudice means charges were dropped permanently and cannot be refiled; a dismissal without prejudice means they could theoretically be brought again; and an acquittal means you were found not guilty at trial. All of these mean you were not convicted.

Fixing Errors on Your Report

If your Identity History Summary contains inaccurate or incomplete information, you can challenge it at no cost.¹ Write a letter clearly identifying what you believe is wrong or missing, and include supporting documentation such as a court docket showing dismissal or an expungement order. Mail your challenge to:

FBI CJIS Division
Attn: Criminal History Analysis Team 1/BTC-3
1000 Custer Hollow Road
Clarksburg, WV 26306

Challenges are processed in the order received, with an average turnaround of about 45 days. If the challenge involves expunging or sealing a state arrest record, the FBI will direct you to the state identification bureau where the offense occurred, because the FBI only removes state records at the state agency’s request. Federal arrest data comes off only when the original submitting agency requests removal or a federal court order directs expungement.

Using Your Report Abroad

Many foreign governments will not accept your FBI report unless it has been authenticated with an apostille from the U.S. Department of State. An apostille is a standardized certificate that verifies a document’s origin for use in countries that are part of the Hague Apostille Convention.

The process runs in two steps. Get your Identity History Summary from the FBI first; the FBI authenticates the report at the time it is produced using a watermark and official signature. Then send the authenticated report to the Department of State’s Office of Authentications for the apostille.¹ The FBI will not authenticate previously processed results, so if you didn’t plan for international use the first time, you’ll need a fresh check.

The State Department charges $20 per document.⁹ Typical processing times:

Mail service: up to five weeks from the date the office receives your document
Walk-in drop-off: seven business days
Emergency appointment for life-or-death situations: same day

Factor in both the FBI processing time and the apostille turnaround when planning. Using a channeler for the FBI step and walk-in service at the State Department can compress the whole sequence to roughly two weeks.

If You’re Applying for a Federal Job

The Identity History Summary is not what a federal employer or security clearance investigator uses. If you’re applying for a federal position, the hiring agency initiates the investigation and it is far more comprehensive than a personal report. Investigators check criminal history and credit, interview current and former employers, talk to references, coworkers, and family members, and verify employment going back seven years.¹⁰¹¹ You don’t request this investigation yourself, and pulling your own Identity History Summary in advance doesn’t substitute for it.

1
Federal Bureau of Investigation. Identity History Summary Checks Frequently Asked Questions
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Federal Bureau of Investigation. Identity History Summary Checks Review
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U.S. Department of State. Criminal Records Checks
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Federal Bureau of Investigation. How to Challenge and How to Obtain Your FBI Identity History Summary
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USCIS. Chapter 2 – Background and Security Checks
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Federal Bureau of Investigation. Applicant Fingerprint Form (FD-258)
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Federal Bureau of Investigation. Requesting FBI Records – Section: Identity History Summary Check
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Federal Bureau of Investigation. List of FBI-Approved Channelers for Departmental Order Submissions
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Travel.State.Gov. Requesting Authentication Services
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Federal Bureau of Investigation. Background Investigation Procedure and Eligibility Requirements
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Investigative Standards for Background Investigations. Investigative Standards for Background Investigations for Access to Classified Information